The Mouse Genome Conferences have played a key role in organizing and focusing the interests and resources of the mouse genetics community. These meetings provide a forum for disseminating recent mouse genomics research, and a vehicle for addressing problems of common concern in the community. Tangible results of the previous conferences include: 1) a new journal, Mammalian Genome, that is devoted to mammalian genome analysis, is now in the second year of publication and has produced the chromosome committee reports; 2) the International Mammalian Genome Society has been established to better organize and coordinate the Mouse Genome Conferences and the chromosome committees; 3) the chromosome committees are functioning and they are integrating the efforts to develop consensus genetic and physical maps for each chromosome; 4) the Fourth Mouse Genome Conference recommended and NIH and DOE has established a working group on the mouse genome to help identify programmatic directions that would best achieve the goals of mapping the mouse genome; and 5) the activities of other established committees have been integrated with the Mouse Genome Conferences including the Mouse Genome Committee of HUGO and the International Committee on Standardized Genetic Nomenclature for Mice. Both of these committees have independent standing but the membership of these committees actively participate in the Mouse Genome Conferences. The inclusion of the Nomenclature committee into the conferences is particularly helpful given the rapid expansion of new technologies for identifying genetic variation and the substantial increase in mapped genes. Mouse Genome Conferences fulfill a unique mission by focusing specifically on 1) presentation of significant new strategies and paradigms for genome analysis, 2) presentation of important new data, 3) chromosome committee meetings, 4) identification of problems that affect the mouse community and that require concerted efforts for resolution. These Conferences continue to play a key role in ensuring that mouse genome research provides comprehensive and rigorous genetic and physical maps. It is difficult to imagine how these maps could be developed in an integrated manner without these conferences.